These reports were
extracted from a Report of Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S.
Grant, U. S. Army, commanding Armies of the United
States, The Richmond (Virginia) Campaign.

APRIL 7, 1865

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: The result of the last week
must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance
on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this
struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to
shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion
of blood, by asking of you the surrender of that portion of
the C. S. Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.

U.S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN
VIRGINIA,
APRIL 7, 1865

Lieut. Gen. U.S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I have received your note of
this date. Though not entertaining the opinion you express on
the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the
Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid
useless effusion of blood, and therefore, before considering
your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition
of its surrender.

R. E. LEE,
General.

APRIL 8, 1865

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: Your note of last evening,
in reply to mine of same date, asking the condition on which
I will accept the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia,
is just received. In reply I would say that, peace being my
great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon,
namely, that the men and officers surrendered shall be
disqualified for taking up arms again against the Government
of the United States until properly exchanged. I will meet
you, or will designate officers to meet any officers you may
name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to yell,
for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which
the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia will be
received.

U.S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN
VIRGINIA,
APRIL 8, 1865

Lieut. Gen. U.S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I received at a late hour
your note of to-day. In mine of yesterday I did not intend to
propose the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, but
to ask the terms of your proposition. To be frank, I do not
think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender of
this army, but as the restoration of peace should be the sole
object of all, I desired to know whether your proposals would
lead to that end. I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view
to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia, but as far as
your proposal may affect the C. S. forces under my command,
and tend to the restoration of peace, I should be pleased to
meet you at 10 a.m., to-morrow; on the old stage road to
Richmond, between the picket-lines of the two armies.

R. E. LEE,
General.

APRIL 9, 1865

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: Your note of yesterday is
received. I have no authority to treat on the subject of
peace; the meeting proposed for 10 a.m. to-day could lead to
no good. I will state, however, general, that I am equally
anxious for peace with yourself, and the whole North
entertains the same feeling. The terms upon which peace can
be had are well understood. By the South laying down their
arms they will hasten that most desirable event, save
thousands of human lives, and hundreds of millions of
property not yet destroyed. Seriously hoping that all our
difficulties may be set-tied without the loss of another
life, I subscribe myself, &c.,

U.S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN
VIRGINIA,
APRIL 9, 1865

Lieut. Gen. U.S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I received your note of this
morning on the picket-line, whither I had come to meet you
and ascertain definitely what terms were embraced in your
proposal of yesterday with reference to the surrender of this
army. I now ask an interview in accordance with the offer
contained in your letter of yesterday for that purpose.

R. E. LEE,
General.

APPOMATTOX COURT-HOUSE, VA.
April 9, 1865

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: In accordance with the substance of my
letter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the
surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following
terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made
in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be
designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or
officers as you may designate. The officers to give their
individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government
of the United States until properly exchanged; and each
company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the
men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public
property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the
officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not
embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private
horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be
allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by U. S.
authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws
in force where they may reside.

U.S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
April 9, 1865

Lieut. Gen. U. S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I have received your letter
of this date containing the terms of surrender of the Army of
Northern Virginia as proposed by you. As they are
substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of
the 8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to
designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into
effect.